WITH POLL: 5 things to consider about Massachusetts changing time zones

Saturday

Nov 4, 2017 at 2:00 PMNov 4, 2017 at 2:52 PM

Turning the clock back in the fall could become a thing of the past in Massachusetts. A special commission created by the state Legislature voted Wednesday to adopt a report recommending that moving the state into a different time zone could be a good idea under certain conditions.

Gerry Tuoti Wicked Local Newsbank Editor

Turning the clock back in the fall could become a thing of the past in Massachusetts. A special commission created by the state Legislature voted today to adopt a report recommending that moving the state into a different time zone could be a good idea under certain conditions, but only if other northeastern states are also on board.

As the matter now moves to the House and Senate, where it faces an uncertain future, here are some things to consider about what it would mean to change time zones.

1. If Massachusetts moves to the Atlantic Time Zone, it would be an hour ahead of the rest of the East Coast for much of the year, joining Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the easternmost parts of Canada. The report recommends that any time zone move should only be done in coordination with other neighboring states, such as New York and the rest of New England. Similar proposals have been introduced elsewhere in New England.

2. There would be no more springing ahead and falling back. The special commission’s report recommends an approach that for all intents and purposes would essentially keep Massachusetts on Daylight Saving Time year-round. That means that when the rest of the eastern states switch to Daylight Saving Time in the spring, their clocks would be in synch with Massachusetts from March to November.

3. Those dreary winter evenings would be a lot brighter. Currently, the earliest sunset in Boston occurs at 4:11 p.m. That would be pushed back an hour if Massachusetts shifts time zones. Proponents of the change say adding an hour of daylight in the winter would boost our quality of life and improve safety on the roads.

4. But mornings would be a whole lot darker, with sunrise coming as late as 8:23 a.m. on some winter days. The report recommends pushing school start times back so kids wouldn’t have to walk to the bus stop in the dark.

5. Our live TV viewing would be thrown off. Everything from those long Hollywood awards shows to late-night ball games from the West Coast would end even later than they do now.